The bookstore industry may seem like it’s pitifully failing with all the retailers that have gone out of business and with Barnes and Noble trying desperately to evolve to stay afloat. But maybe this is only proving to the world that bigger does not mean better, particularly with bookstores.
There is one idea these mammoth book retailers haven’t tried yet: fighting small. Many successful brands maintain their success by providing convenience: for example, Coke maintains their global dominance by the availability of their soda everywhere. The same notion could be applied in the book industry.
But no, the internet does not count. While it’s true that the web has become such a boon for the publishing industry, it has made book retailers a bit lazy. Why try to push books instore when customers could always just buy what they need from the website? The answer is impulse buying and convenience. It’s why the term “airplane reading” has become a thing, people are more likely to pick up a book at one of the little airport shops before they board their planes.
Airports and grocery stores have noticed, and become more strategic with it. Amazon also has realized their two day shipping still isn’t the same thing as impulse buying and they are trying to rectify it with their new physical locations, while furthering their brand at the same time.
It’s something Barnes and Noble has yet to experiment with. Perhaps it’s the missing key that will save them from going out of business.
Read more about how guerilla retailing may be beneficial to the book industry at Book Business Mag.
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